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Industry Flea Ups the Ante on Weekend Vibes

You’ve undoubtedly heard, if not become a frequenter, of H&8th. We know, it’s hard to resist an evening where you can consume meatballs, tacos, ramen, and an assortment of other items (and beer, naturally) simply by meandering down the street. The massive night market expanded its stretch over Midtown for its first night of the season last month, and added a new darling, Industry Flea, to the lineup. With Holiday Pop-Ups creator, Allison Barta Bailey, at the helm, Industry Flea brings a new concept to the already highly touted H&8th (and the neighborhood in general), by offering an evolving market of local shops, artisans and vintage finds.

The added perk? They aren’t just open in conjunction with the Friday-night food truck fanfare, but Saturdays* following H&8th as well.

Situated on the corner of 10th and Hudson, Industry Flea’s pop-ups provide a casual weekend market vibe with more than 40 vendors, whose goods range from bowties and handmade blankets to jewelry and fresh cut flowers. With the maze of tents being nestled next to Bleu Garten, there’s the added benefit of grabbing a bite post-shopping and taking in some people watching.

After two successful runs with the Holiday Pop-Up Shops in November and December of 2013 and 2014, Bailey saw the need for a community sister event for the spring and summer months. We’re glad to see her vision carried out, and one less empty lot in the blossoming little thoroughfare to H&8th territory and Plaza Court.

Bailey shared her vision for bringing the flea market aesthetic to Midtown, and her passion for the OKC community, in an interview with us earlier this week.

How many vendors/what vendors will be participating during the April weekend? Any Holiday Pop-Up pros that the community will be familiar with?

We’ll have over 40 vendors including The Plant Stand, a longer term pop-up on the property. There’s everything from jewelry to vintage records to books to handmade accessories and flowers! Every month, you can find familiar shops that have participated in the holiday pop-ups or previous events, but this is a completely different setting. You’ll find less holiday gift-focused merchandise and more items for your home or summer clothing season!

How did your vision for Industry Flea come about, and what was the process in seeing this come to life? When did you first start planning?

We get so many applications for the Holiday Pop-Up Shops that either aren’t a good fit for holiday shopping season or are small start-up shops and artisans that would struggle to produce enough merchandise for the holiday season. We had been considering for the last year how to accommodate those vendors better and the Industry Flea came out of that brainstorm! This is a lower pressure event, something that a side-hustle artisan could do one weekend of the summer. We love the laid back vibe!

What type of atmosphere are you trying to create with Industry Flea? Is there an aesthetic you are leaning toward?

We look to Fleas across the country like the Brooklyn Flea or City Flea – we want to evolve our OKC version of those – a variety that constantly evolving and creating space for new artisans.

So, the obvious: why Midtown?.

Because we love it here. And also because Midtown Renaissance is awesome and partnered with us to make the property at 10th and Hudson a perfect spot for our events.

How has your experience and role with the Holiday Pop-Up Shops played into the development of this new project?

I think we are always craving diversity. The Pop-Ups have a very specific aesthetic and modern style that we’ve worked on for the last few years. We wanted the Flea to be something totally different… Summery, casual… setting up with H&8th makes it feel like the summer block party of our dreams.

What are your plans for Industry Flea in the future? Will a typical Industry Flea season coincide with H&8th?Are there plans for a permanent location?

We’ll have to wait and see. For the foreseeable future though, we plan to host an Industry Flea with H&8th – we love that atmosphere!

*Due to weather on Friday, April 24, Industry Flea festivities in conjunction with H&8th were canceled. Be sure to visit them during the hours below!